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Thursday, 2 October 2014

Deja Vu

I know that we all have that author that we will always stand behind when it comes to their writing, and I have to say that Dani Morales is near the top of that list for me. If you haven't had the chance to read any of her work, I think that you should go out now and at least look them up. She has a way of telling a story that hooks you early, and keeps you wanting more by the end of the night.

But before I get into my review for Deja Vu, the novella by the talented Dani Morales. Lets get to know the author a bit with her Bio.

Author Bio

Dani Morales is a native Texan currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada with her three boys and her mother. She adopted the boys in December of 2011 and loves spending every minute playing with them. On her spare time you can find a book in her hand or sitting in front of the computer typing out stories that run rampant in her mind. Her debut novel Entrelacen was released April 2013.

Now that we have a sense of who Dani Morales is, let's get on with what this novella is about!

Amy Preston: Famous graphic designer.

That's Amy's goal. To be known for her talent. For now, Amy is a college student trying to finish her degree and make the right decisions to accomplish her goal.

When a chance meeting with Lubbock's royalty, Marcus Tyler, lands her in an exclusive club, she realizes it's the opportunity of a lifetime.

But not everything Amy is offered will lead her to her dreams. If she's not careful with her choices, not only will she lose the chance at her biggest break. She could lose something she never dreamed she needed.

A few blocks down by campus, there’s a Starbucks. I
practically live here during finals week, and I pull Jill inside so we can grab
a Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino. We get comfy on the couch by the window so
we can people watch. It’s one of my favorite games, and Jill cracks up when I
peg their drinks by their looks. It’s a little judgmental, but it’s all in good
spirit. I mean it’s not like I say he’s getting a Chai Latte because he’s gay,
or that she’s getting a Skinny Non-fat Vanilla Frappuccino with no whip cream
because she’s fat. It’s more like I can see the person behind their clothes and
accessories. It’s a gift my art professors raved about throughout school.

I examine the guy. He’s definitely tall, probably around 6’2’’
with black hair. The skin I can see is tanned, and he’s wearing some dark
washed blue jeans with a light blue button up. Preppy but not overly so. I
would peg him as either a business or architect major, and I start going
through a list of possible drinks in my head.

“You better hurry, Ames. He’s getting ready to order.” She
laughs at the length it’s taken me to decide on a drink for him.

“He’s going to get a Venti Café Americano with a double
shot, no cream,” I say as he approaches the counter.

Pulling out my phone, I see that I have a few missed calls
from my dad, and I make a mental note to call him back. I open up the browser
to search for places to take Jill out tonight. It needs to be out of the way of
campus so we don’t run into the jerk and his new girl, but close enough if we
have to walk home.

“Can I get a Venti Café Americano with a double shot,” a
smooth, deep voice echoes around the shop.

I look up to see every girl looking toward the back of the
store where the guy just ordered what I predicted. Something about his voice
draws my attention to his back, like I want to examine him further.

“Told you, Jill,” I say through a smile as I look over at
her and away from him.

“You sure you’re not psychic?” She locks eyes with me and
then they flicker away to only widen.

“What? Don’t tell me Stephen is here with that girl, Jill. I
will personally take him out of the store and beat him senseless.” I get ready
to turn around when a chuckle has me frozen in my chair.

“Do you ladies mind if I join you?” It’s the voice from the
guy who just ordered.

Jill shakes her head no and gestures with her hand for him
to take a seat. I stare daggers at her, but she just shrugs at me. Resting back
into my chair, I continue the search for the right club, but can’t come up with
anything that would guarantee a Stephen-free night.

“Marcus!” the barrista calls.

I look up to see the guy next to us eye me as he rises to
fetch his coffee. Turning my attention to Jill, I see her study his ass and
grin. She obviously likes what she sees.

“No creamer right?” I lean over and whisper at her.

“None. He’s coming back this way though.” Smiling at me, her
eyes shimmer.

“What, why?” I let out.

“Why what?” Marcus asks as he sits down in the chair
opposite me.

“Nothing.” I reply like I’m annoyed at his intrusion. He
just shrugs it off like it’s not a big deal, and I decide to ignore him.

“So, I think we’re going to need to get ourselves a DD so we
can go out tonight, Jill.” I smile at her.

“Come on, Ames. I don’t want to run into him,” she pleads
with me.

“I know. I’ve been looking at clubs further out, which is
why we would need a sober driver to accompany us.”

“I don’t mean to include myself in this conversation, but
why don’t you just go to the new club that opens tonight. Déjà vu is on the
corner of Main and Avenue X, so it’s close to the campus,” Marcus offers with a
smile.

“No offense, but if it’s new, it’s a sure thing that her
ex,” I point at Jill, “will be there, and the point of the night is to have
fun.”

“Well, I have it on good authority to say that the only
people getting into the club are ones with their names on the list.”

His smirk graces his face and it pulls my attention to
examine him. Gorgeous set of lips that I could get lost in kissing, a nose
that’s slightly crooked from being broken, and when my eyes make their way to
his, a blue that’s not entirely blue. They have specks of green and yellow
floating around and glinting off the light in the coffee shop. My train of
thought goes fuzzy for a second, and I look away from him by grabbing my drink
off the table while I try and process why all of a sudden I feel the need to
wrap my body around his.

“Right, so a VIP list that our names wouldn’t be on either.
How does that help?” The words fly out of my mouth. I tend to speak fast when
I’m nervous.

“I can get you on the list,” Marcus says in a way that makes
me rethink wrapping my body around his.

Hopefully the Excerpt helped you make the decision to purchase a copy of Deja Vu!

Now onto my review!
When I first found out what this novella was about I thought to myself, I wonder how Dani is going to make it her own. There's hardly any original ideas anymore, it's all about how we throw it all together, and that's why I wanted to know what Dani would do. To take a concept that has been done over and over again, but that never seems to get old.
While I was reading, each word, sentence, paragraph, made me want more. The way that Dani writes is so beautiful, you can't help but want more, even when the story is finished.

This story could have easily been made into a full length novel, and possibly a series, but Dani decided to go a different path. Choosing to write novella is never an easy decision. Needed to keep things short and simple, and always getting to the point. I think Dani made the right decision to make this story a novella because it was just that. Short and Simple. Beautiful and Elegant. And even though it made me want more when the story was finished, it left me satisfied.

The characters are believable. They're all slightly crazy in their own way, which makes sense, because we all are, aren't we? They're people that you see on the street, or in the club. People that you see everyday. And that is something that I really look for in a story, if the characters don't seem real the story just feels off. Well this story did not feel off at all! It had a little bit of everything. Making me laugh out loud on more than one occasion.

Deja Vu, a novella by Dani Morales. A novella that will leave you wanting more. I personally believe that you will not be satisfied with life unless you find that one story. This is one of those stories!

If someone told me a couple years ago that I would enjoy a romance story, I would have laughed in their face (original right?), but then I read Deja Vu. It's going to be hard to top it!

If you'd like to get to know Dani a little bit more, you can stalk her in a few places. These are the places!